INDIANAPOLIS – It was just the way Dr. Naismith intended the game to be played. Of course, that was about a century ago.

The Penn State Nittany Lions did not mind. Especially Talor Battle, their leading scorer with nine points:

“If you wake up tonight and you're looking at the score ticker, yes, the game really is over.”

Penn State 36, Wisconsin 33.

It's over but the Lions' NCAA tournament hopes are not. The win here in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals sets PSU up against Michigan State in Saturday's semis. The 7-seed Spartans were 74-56 upset winners over 2-seed Purdue.

And the Lions (18-13, 11-9 Big Ten) are squarely in the game now for an at-large berth. After Friday's result, for what it's worth, ESPN's “Bracketology” expert Joe Lunardi entered Penn State among his “last four in” the tournament.

And it might change again – for real with the tournament selection committee – if the Lions lay an egg against the Spartans (about 4:05 p.m., CBS). They know this.

“We're here to win the Big Ten tournament,” said Battle. “But if we win tomorrow, and Sunday, I'm booking tickets and all that. Right now, we're just really happy.”

Oh and there's this: In the course of making the game's biggest shot – a catch-and-shoot trey off a Tim Frazier pass that put PSU up 35-30 with 2:20 left – Battle topped the 56-year-old record of Jesse Arnelle and became the Nittany Lions' leading career scorer with 2,141 points.

This one could've been played 56 years ago. Or 106. But, many of the current Lions have played one like this before and won – just two years ago, a memorable 38-33 taffy pull at Illinois.

This was just as ugly. With 34 minutes gone, Battle had exactly 3 points, had no shooting confidence and had gone 1-for 14 from the field. Wisconsin had locked up a stagnant Penn State offense and he was in jail. This on the heels of a horrific game the night before against Indiana that included 3-of-12 from the field.

But the little man has nothing if not his teammates' belief and his own. No matter how bad it gets, he always plays the end-game like he knows something. Like he's got a shot left in his pocket somewhere.

With 5:26 left and PSU up 30-28, Battle drove and bounced in a scoop shot to give Penn State what passed for breathing room.

Shortly after, he missed a pair of shots, the latter an open three that looked good but caught front iron.

Frazier consoled him: 'Man, you'll get the next one.'

“And he looked me in the eye,” said Frazier. “And he said, 'I'm gonna make the next one.' But he's done that his whole four years here. He hits the big shots.”

“My last two shots had felt good before that,” said Battle. “I said to Tim, 'Just find me. I promise you, the next one will go in.'”

It did and PSU was suddenly up 35-30, a cushy lounger of a lead in this wrestling match.

After an exchange of empty trips, Keaton Nankivil hit a three from the top to bring the Badgers back within 35-33 with :59.6 left. But they would not score again. Wisconsin (23-8, 13-6) finished 2-of-21 from 3-point range and 15-of-51 from the field. Other than their All-Big Ten stars guard Jordan Taylor (16 points) and power forward Jon Leuer (10), no Badger scored more than 3 points.

Taylor missed a three with :12 left that bounced tantalizingly on the front rim before dribbling off the rim right. Jeff Brooks tipped the board out to Battle who was fouled at :10.5.

“Bubby” then hit the front end of the one-and-one at the other end before missing the would-be clincher.

The Lions did not foul with the 3-point lead. But Battle's snug defense forced an off-balance leaner trey by Taylor that never came close to the rim. Frazier caught it while falling out of bounds with :02 left, saved it in to Brooks and the game was over.

“Who wants to play a game 36-33?” said Frazier when asked if the pace after having played Indiana 23 hours before was an advantage to the Lions' legs. “Nah-ah. Not me. I like scoring.

“Playing such a slow game, we were able to take breaks on the court at times, though. And because we played yesterday, we knew the feeling for the [Spalding] balls, the court atmosphere. So playing yesterday really helped us out I think.”

Playing Saturday will, too, if the Nits can pull off another win.

Maybe Battle should have another daydream like he did while getting rubdowns with Brooks after the Indiana game.

“Jeff said to me, 'Man, I'm gonna get 45 tomorrow if you don't get 30.'”

Battle remembered they were playing snail-pace Wisconsin: “I said, 'Man, we might all score 35 total.'

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